The Tattersalls December Mares Sale exploded into life on Tuesday evening with
seven fillies and mares realising one million guineas or more and a further 21
selling above 500,000 guineas.
The turnover on the second day reached a
remarkable 42,534,600 guineas at an average of 218,126 guineas and a median of
110,000 guineas.
The headline act on the Tuesday of the Tattersalls December Mares Sale was
PEARLING, sold in foal to GALILEO for 2.4 million guineas to the bid of Tony
Nerses of Blue Diamond Stud. Underbidders on the sale-topper included David
Hanley of WinStar Farm and ultimately, Australian-based agent Dean Hawthorne.
Pearling
Offered by New England Stud, the regally-bred mare is an own sister to Champion
sire and racehorse GIANT'S CAUSEWAY and the dam of three-time Group 1 winner
DECORATED KNIGHT.
Imad Al Sagar, who was the successful purchaser and previous part-owner of the
mare with Saleh Al Homaizi, said;
"She is very special to us and has an exceptional pedigree. I could not
let her go. Saleh has some serious business commitments coming up and has
needed to reduce his interests, but he is a very good friend. We have had some
great times with the horses together but things change.
"I am delighted to be able to take this mare home - and she is carrying a
filly by Galileo."
The other lot to top the 2 million guineas mark was the Listed winning GALILEO
mare BOUND who was knocked down to Lordship Stud's Ben Harris for 2,200,000
guineas. US agent Lincoln Collins had initially opened the bidding at 1 million
guineas before Henri Bozo, standing alongside Bertrand Le Metayer, took things
along before the Lordship team standing with agent Luke Lillingston took control
to secure the mare in foal to DARK ANGEL.
Following the sale, Trevor Harris of Lordship said;
"Luke helped us right from the start and bought La Sky for us who was the
dam of Love Divine and Swiss Lake, the dam of Swiss Spirit. This the most
expensive horse we have bought, and we'd would love to send her to
Dubawi."
Luke Lillingston said: "Sometimes you have throw the kitchen sink at it to
get a reward. She is a very special looking mare and is by Galileo."
BOUND is an own sister to the Group 1 Nassau Stakes second WEDDING VOW and to
BYE BYE BABY, a Group 3 winner and third in the Group 1 Oaks. She hails from
the family of 'Arc' winner DYLAN THOMAS as well as 1,000 Guineas winner
HOMECOMING QUEEN and was offered in foal to DARK ANGEL by consignor John Troy.
The Group-winning GALILEO mare BEAUTIFUL MORNING was another to break seven
figures when selling to agent Hugo Lascelles for 1,400,000 guineas. Victorious
in the Group 3 Royal Whip at The Curragh, the mare is out of the Listed-placed
mare DATE WITH DESTINY who was the only offspring of the ill-fated 2,000
Guineas winner GEORGE WASHINGTON. Trained by Jessica Harrington, BEAUTIFUL
MORNING was raced by Jon Kelly and James Wiltz.
"Beautiful Morning will be staying in the UK and we'd hope she'll be able
to go to Dubawi," said Lascelles of the mare sold by Newsells Park Stud.
"She is for a different client than this morning's purchase of Lot
1805."
The Royal Ascot winning filly HEARTACHE who scored an authoritative win in the
Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes as well as the Group 2 Flying Childers Stakes was
secured by Coolmore Stud's MV Magnier for 1,300,000 Guineas. The daughter of
the Listed winning filly PLACE IN MY HEART was consigned by her owners
Whitsbury Manor Stud and Ed Harper commented;
"The family goes back to Hollow Heart, who was bought by Dad in the 1970s
- this is a testament to his skill.
"We have changed our minds about ten times as to whether to sell or keep
her - but at the end of the day a stallion can cover 100 mares and a mare can
only be covered once and we run a commercial operation.
"We have a superb team at home and it allows us to keep pushing
forward."
Purchaser MV Magnier said;
"She is a very fast filly, very good-looking and she'll be one for Galileo
- she will not race on. She comes from a great nursery and farm."
Shortly after David Hanley of WinStar Farm had missed out on buying PEARLING he
struck successfully on her daughter AMBROSIA with a winning bid of 1.3 million
guineas.
The Highclere Stud consigned daughter of FRANKEL is a half-sister to three-time
Group 1 winner DECORATED KNIGHT, from the family of multiple Group 1 winners
GLENEAGLES and HAPPILY, and was offered in foal to SIYOUNI.
Hanley commented after the sale;
"We went a long way into the bidding on her dam but did not get her. We
said if we missed on her, we would try for her daughter.
"It is the most exceptional pedigree and most amazing family that works on
both sides of the Atlantic - you could get a Dirt horse or a Turf horse. We are
thrilled that we have secured her," he added.
"She is on an early cover, and we have discussed stallions, but as yet
have made no plans."
James Wigan's London Thoroughbred Services went to 1,200,000 guineas to secure
the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes winner OFF LIMITS on behalf of Florida-based Peter
and Bonnie McCausland's Erdenheim Farm in Pennsylvania.
The six-year-old daughter of MASTERCRAFTSMAN out of the EFISIO mare RAVISH was
consigned to the sale by European Sales Management on behalf of owner Martin
Schwartz.
"She is the only lot here with Grade 1-winning form," said Wigan.
"The farm is an old American stud farm that has a great history. It is now
being bought back into equine use again. It has been empty for a time and these
are the first mares going back onto the farm.
"The mare should suit the US and she is from a lovely family."
Phoenix Thoroughbreds had to withstand a determined effort by Yulong
Investments to secure the four-year-old mare POCKETFULLOFDREAMS for 1,000,000
guineas. The Listed-placed daughter of INVINCIBLE SPIRIT, who was offered with
a covering to GALILEO by her consignors Baroda & Colbinstown Studs, is a
half-sister to the Group 2 Prix de Royallieu winner THE JULIET ROSE.
Tom Ludt, the vice president of equine operations for Phoenix Thoroughbreds,
said;
"We are building a top-level broodmare band and both mares are carrying
their first foals. We are looking to play at the top of the business."
Phoenix later bought out their partners Zen Racing in the filly SIGNORA CABELLO
for 900,000 guineas and indicated that she will return to trainer John Quinn
for a three-year-old campaign.